Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,501 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al-'amarah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.02 IQD 5,267

48.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

33.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

2.99%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.60 IQD 3,401

-37.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.40 IQD 521

172.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.19 IQD 255

284.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.85 IQD 3,736

-38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.89 IQD 3,779

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.81 IQD 2,364

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.79 IQD 1,030

63.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.12 IQD 1,462

17.86%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.55 IQD 2,027

46.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.54 IQD 5,951

-4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.64 IQD 6,074

26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

-33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.91 IQD 1,197

147.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.08 IQD 1,416

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.87 IQD 1,136

74.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.39 IQD 514

264.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.76 IQD 989

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.35 IQD 452

234.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.63 IQD 827

41.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.47 IQD 617

91.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.97 IQD 2,573

14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.11 IQD 2,769

12.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.37 IQD 484

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

32.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.67 IQD 2,188

-15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.48 IQD 1,936

28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.10 IQD 7,988

27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.31 IQD 404

225.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-9.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

30.58%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

9.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

-47.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

-29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

12.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-46.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$154 IQD 201.2K

103.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

84.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

110.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

61.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

164.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$331 IQD 434.1K

45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$132 IQD 173.3K

186.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$441 IQD 578.0K

89.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$346 IQD 452.8K

109.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$581 IQD 760.9K

388.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$506 IQD 663.1K

6.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $331 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,006 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.